Charles g



(No Model.)

C. G. SMITH 8v A. FRENCH. RAILROAD GAR LAMP.

No. 547,300. Patented Oct. 1, 1895.

MQW

CHARLES G. SMITH, OF BROOKLYN, AND ALONZO FRENCH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.;SAID FRENCH ASSlGNOR riO'SAlD SMITH.

RAlLROAD-CAR LAMP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent-No. 547,300, dated October1, 1895. Application filed August 1l, 1894. Serial No. 520,058. (Nomodel.) A

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES G. SMITH, residing in Brooklyn, Kingscounty, and ALoNzo FRENCH, residing in the city and county of New York,in the State of New York, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Railroad-Car Lamps, of which the following is aspecification.

The improvement applies to that class of electric-light devices in whicha tube extending downward from the ceiling and inclosing theproperly-insulated wires carries a series of incandescent-lightbulbs andsupports over them a nearly flat refiector adapted to throw the lightdownward.

It is important in railroad-cars that the parts be held very firmly toendure the constant slight concussion to which they are subjected intraveling, and especially to endure the violent strains liable to beimposed in cases of accident.

Our improvement provides therefor and also for conveniently anddelicately adjusting the height of the light-bulbs and refiectorsrelatively to each other, and also for adjusting the height of bothrelatively to the car.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification andrepresent what we consider the best means of carrying out the invention.

Figure l is a central vertical section through all the parts of our lampand a portion of the top of the car, and Fig. 2 is a correspondingsection through the reflector detached. Fig. 3 is a similar sectionshowing a modification.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures where they appear.

A is the ceiling of a car, and a a hole bored therein of sufficient sizeto receive the tube to be presently described.

B is a screw-threaded thimble, having a broad fiange B', by which latterit is secured to the ceiling A by means of wood-screws C.

Referring to Fig. l, D D2 D3 is a hollow casting of brass or othersuitable material. The upper part D is of'uniform diameter and screwthreaded. We will refer to this entire casting, when necessary, by thesingle letterV D. The portion D2, below the screwthreaded part D', is ofsmaller diameter and connects the portion D with the upper half of anornamental flattened globe D3. Ou the upper surface of this globe arebrazed or otherwise secured nozzles D4, having screwthreadedextremities. E E are electric-light bulbs of the ordinary standardconstruction, engaging on these screw-threads and having their wires eelectrically connected in the ordinary manner with wires m, which extendloosely down in the interior of the casting D. The lower half D5 of theglobe is formed separately from the upper half, and is removable toallow the wires to be adjusted, being removably held by means of a rodD7, engaged with a cross-bar D6, formed integral with the upper half.The union is effected by the aid of nuts Ds and D, the lower of thesenuts being ornamental.

It will be understood that contents of the bulbs E and other parts notspecifically described may be of the ordinary and long-approvedconstruction.

M is a reflector having a lip M on its inner edge, which fits looselyaround the large screwthreaded pipe D and extends down into an internalrabbet p, formed in the upper side of a screw-threaded ring P, whichlatter is screwed upon the part D and forms the lower part of theprovision for firmly holding the reiiector. p,

Q Q represent thin gaskets, of soft vulcanized rubber, fitted one in thebottom of the rabbetp and the'other on 'the remaining upper surface ofthe ring P.

The upper part of the provision for holding the reflector consists of arubber gasket R and a threaded ring S. This ring is screwed down firmly.

F is a small pinching-screw tapped through the ring B. This is screwedin to press on the screw-threads of D after the height of the device isdetermined.

The lip M', extending down from the inner 4 These undulations add to thestrength of the thin and fragile glass construction and also contributeto scatter and diffuse the light.

In setting up our lamp in a car, the reflector and the threaded ringswith their respective gaskets having been applied in their propersuccession upon the threaded portion D of the casting D, the latter isscrewed into the thimble B to any required extent. When the lightrequires to be adjusted up or down, it can be effected by turning thewhole. "When the reflector alone is to be shifted up or down, this canbe attained by properly operating the threaded rings P and S.

The yielding character of the contact formed by the gaskets Q andR isimportant. The reiiector will usually be made of glass and will varysomewhat in thickness at different points. It is essential that thisimportant and extended member of the combination be held with greatforce and also yieldin gly. Our threaded-rings P and S attain this endand allow a large amount of adjustability. The gaskets allow thepressure -to be very firm and distribute the pressure nearly uniformlyon the irregular thickness.

The considerable diameter of the part D and the firmness of itsengagement by means of the previously well-secured ring IS insures anunusually firm support to the entire structure, while it allows thecasting D, and consequently the lights, to be adjusted up and downwithin considerable limits. It is frequently important to adjust thereflector up or down relatively to the lights. The rings P and S, withtheir soft gaskets, allow this to be effected with great nicety and thewhole to be held firmly.

Modifications maybe made without departing from the principle orsacrificing the advantages of the invention. l/Ve can make theslightly-concave reiieetor M without the concentric waves and can makethe neck or connecting portieri D2 of the same size as thescrew-threaded part D; but the effect of this latter modification on theeye is not as pleasant. Fig. 3 shows the device modified in both thesepoints. IVe can use either one of the gaskets Q without the other.

We can use a screw-threaded ring, serving as a jam-nut, instead of thepinching-screw F to hold the device M against working up or down by thejarring motion of the car.

We claim as our inventionl. In a railroad car lamp, for incandescentelectric lights, the adjustable hollow casting D, having ascrew-threaded upper portion of considerable diameter, the correspondinginternally threaded ring vB and fastenings C therefor fixed in theceiling of the car, the provisions D4 for receiving the bulbs E at thebase, and holding them firmly, and the removable lower portion D5 andsuitable fastening means therefor, all combined and arranged to servesubstantially as herein specified.

2. In a railroad car lamp, for incandescent electric lights, theadjustable hollow casting D, having a screw-threaded upper portion ofconsiderable diameter, in combination with the corresponding internallythreaded ring B and fastenings C therefor xed in the ceiling of the car,and with the provisions D4 for receiving the bulbs E at the base, andwith the horizontal, slightly domed reiiector M held on such casting atan intermediate height, and with the threaded rings P and S and thegaskets Q and R, adapted to hold the reiiector strongly but yieldinglyand allow its adjustment up and down, all substantially as hereinspecified.

3. In a railroad car lamp for incandescent electric lights, the slightlydomed reflector M, having the lip M extending downward from its inneredge in combination with the lower threaded ring P, having a rabbet p,adapted to receive such lip, the upper threaded ring S adapted to pressthe lip of the reflector into such rabbet, and the soft sockets Q, Q, todistribute the bearing contact and with the hollow casting D andprovisions for accommodating electric wires 'm and for receiving thebulbs E, all arranged for joint operation substantially as hereinspecied.

In testimony that we claim the invention above set forth We affix oursignatures in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES G. SMITH. v ALONZO FRENCH. Vitnesses:

CHARLES R. SEARLE, M. F. BOYLE.

